Short Track Lovin' ✅

Chapter 53: "Where am I?"

Monday, July 24

Chase sits up, glancing around as confusion immediately appears on his face.

The green grass surrounding him was the purest form of green you could imagine. The blue sky above him was perfectly balanced between shine, and perfectly white clouds. There was nothing for what seemed for miles, though.

Where was he?

He closes his eyes, trying to remember the last place that he was. He was at the race track. He had just purposely blown a motor – but why? He remembered climbing out of the car. Oh yes, that's right – poisoned the day before due to stupid Alison. He remembered feeling very sick – absolutely sick at that. He remembered being surrounded by both Alan and Josh, and being led to the care center – he hoped.

Then everything just went black.....and now he was here? It just didn't make sense! He expected to wake up in a hospital room. He then stands up, looking around the open space, feeling more confused than ever. It was like there was no ending to the grass or sky, and nothing in-between but him. Why did nothing make sense?

"Chase?" He hears, instantly grabbing his attention as he watches someone appear about 20 steps from his current location. He didn't want to move – worry filling him. How he could he here, and where was he here? Though as he began to take a step forward, it was like everything fell in place. He was able to move as if nothing was wrong, feeling even better than what he would consider 100%. "Chase?" The voice repeats itself once again as he walks closer to the figure, glancing up and down the person. He had seen this person before –he couldn't place him exactly, but he recognized the figure. "Holy shit, it is you...."

"Who are you?" He questions, feeling frustrated he couldn't place the person somewhere. He was good with faces and names. He remembered the people he knew well, and this person felt like they were in that category. Why was this different? Was this an effect of the poisoning? "And where am I?"

"You shouldn't be here...." Chase could figure that out himself, feeling as lost as ever. "No, you shouldn't be here. It's not time for you to be her-"

"Where am I?" Chase was growing more frustrated in not having any answers. How was he supposed to do something about it if he didn't have any single detail at all?

"This is heaven....well, not really. This is sort of that in-between world, I guess." Chase glances around, feeling even more confused than ever, before glancing back at the person. Was this what it felt like to be in limbo as the movies put it?

"So why are you here?" He figured an explanation from the person could explain the reason he was there. it was all about seeing someone or doing something in those movies, right?

"I was told to come here by a messenger and see someone, but I didn't expect it to be you. I mean, I expected anybody but you. No, it's too soon....this can't be happening. I mean, I expected my dad Ern-" Chase's jaw dropped immediately as he took a couple steps back. it came to him a single moment as to whom was before him.

"Ernie Elliott?" The figure before him nods his head. "Casey?" The figure once again nods his head.

Chase could only take a deep breath, and try to find every bit of composure he had.

He remembered his cousin's story, as told to him by his parents when he asked about why there was a memorial race run in Casey's honor at Lanier. His dad explained Casey was Ernie's son, and like every Elliott, he found himself involved the world of racing. He was a great racer, too, having started to make his way up the ranks with some success at the late model level. Unfortunately, cancer resulted in his cousin dying when Chase just a young lad – 1.